After taking a quick peek into the cafeteria, I opted instead to go to
the convenience store, buy some bread, and return to class. About ten people
had remained in the room. Some had pushed their desks together so they
could all eat as a group, while other, more solitary students quietly ate their
lunches alone. Everyone here had brought a lunch box from the cafeteria or
convenience store.
I was going to eat by myself, but then Horikita returned and sat down
beside me. On Horikita's desk sat a delicious-looking sandwich. Her aura
seemed to say, "Don't talk to me," so I returned to my seat without speaking.
Just as I was about to sink my teeth into a sweet bun, music played through
the speakers.
"At five PM Japan Standard Time today, we will be holding a student
club fair in Gymnasium No. 1. Students interested in joining a club, please
gather in Gymnasium No. 1. I repeat, at—"
A girl with a sweet voice continued the announcement. Club activities,
huh? Come to think of it, I'd never joined a club before.
"Hey, Horikita—"
"I'm not interested in joining a club."
"I didn't even ask you anything yet."
"Well, what is it?"
"Are you interested in joining a club?"
"Ayanokouji-kun, do you have dementia, or are you just an idiot?
Didn't I just tell you that I'm not interested?"
"That doesn't mean you won't join, though," I replied.
"Now you're just splitting hairs. Don't argue for the sake of arguing."
"Okay then."
So, Horikita had no interest in making friends or joining clubs. She
seemed annoyed whenever I tried to talk to her. I wondered if she'd come to
the school only to advance into higher education or get a job. If she wanted to
advance to higher education, I wouldn't have found that too surprising, but I
did consider it a bit of a waste.
"You don't really have any friends, do you?" she asked.
"Sorry. But, hey, I can at least talk to you pretty well now."
"Listen, don't count me as one of your friends."
"O-oh..."
"Well, since you apparently want to go find out about the clubs, do you
intend to join one?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm not sure, I guess. I'm still thinking about it. Probably not, though."
"You don't plan to join a club, but you want to go to the club fair?
How odd. Do you plan to use this as a pretext for talking to people and making friends?"
How could she possibly be so sharp? No, I was probably just easy to read.
"Since I failed to make any friends on my first day, I thought that clubs would be my last chance."
"Can't you invite anyone other than me?" she asked.
"It's precisely because I don't have anyone else to invite that I'm having such a hard time!"
"True. However, I don't think you seriously mean what you're saying,
Ayanokouji-kun. If you seriously want to make a friend, you should be more insistent."
"I can't, though. I've devoted myself to walking a lonely road."
Horikita took up her sandwich and quietly resumed eating. "I have
trouble comprehending your contradictory way of thinking."
I wanted to make friends, but I couldn't. Horikita apparently found that incomprehensible.
"Have you ever joined any clubs, Horikita?" I asked.
"No, I've never been in one."
"Then, do you have any experience? You know, doing this or that?"
"What exactly do you mean by 'that'? I can't help but feel like that's a mean-spirited question."
"Mean-spirited? Why? What did I say wrong?"
In one quick motion, Horikita karate-chopped me in the side. I coughed
after being struck, unable to believe that a girl could hit so hard.
"Wh-what was that for?!" I cried.
"Ayanokouji-kun. I've warned you thoroughly, but it would appear that
you haven't been listening. I think I may have to dole out rather merciless
punishment to you later."
"Absolutely not! Violence doesn't solve anything!"
"Oh, really? Violence has existed since the dawn of time. Violence has
historically proven to be the human race's most effective means of achieving
resolution. Violence is the most reliable method to make others listen, or
safely deny their demands. Not to mention that, in many countries, the police
who enforce the law use handguns and batons, wielding violence as a tool to make arrests."
"You sure are rambling..."
She gave a grand speech, insisting that hitting me had not been wrong.
She also stated that her unreasonable behavior was reasonable. If I tried to
argue, she would viciously tear me down.
"I think that I will employ violence to rehabilitate you, Ayanokouji-
kun, and purge you of those impure thoughts. How does that sound?"
"Okay then, what if I said the same thing to you, Horikita? What about that?"
At best, men who raised their hand against women were called "lowlifes" and "cowards."
"I wouldn't particularly mind, because I don't think you'll get the
chance. Besides, if I never say anything wrong, then you'll never be able to reproach me."
Her answer was totally unexpected. She really seemed to believe that
she was always right. Even though she looked and spoke with the civility befitting an honors student, on the inside, she was a cruel beast.
"Okay, I get it, I get it. I'll be careful from now on."
I gave up on Horikita and looked out the window. Ah, the weather today was so nice.
"Club activities, hmm. I see..."
Horikita mumbled to herself as she pondered something.
"Well, if it's only for a little while after school, I'll go with you," she said.
"What do you mean 'a little while'?"
"You asked me earlier, didn't you? You said you wanted to go to the club fair."
"Oh, yeah. I never planned to stick around. I was just looking for a chance to go. Is that okay?"
"If it's just for a little while. All right, we'll go after class."
After our conversation ended, we resumed eating our lunches. I had
said that she was unpleasant earlier, but maybe things had turned around.
Perhaps Horikita was actually a good person.
"Watching you flail about as you fail to make friends sounds somewhat interesting."
Nope. She was unpleasant.